ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · fork · sharp · craft · spring · wake · toast · suit

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spring — the season
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — bread
  6. craft — boats
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spring — of water
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fork — in a road
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. perch — the fish
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — to fit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com